NY Lawsuit Revives Claims that Top VW Execs Knew of Diesel Cheating

A lawsuit filed by the state of New York against Volkswagen AG revives claims that top VW executives knew for a decade or more that the company was rigging diesels to cheat on emission tests.

The 84-page complaint, which is similar to filings by Maryland and Massachusetts, accuses VW of violating state environmental regulations. The lawsuit reviews previously disclosed information about the carmaker’s deception but doesn’t appear to offer new evidence.

VW already has acknowledged its diesels violated federal emission standards. A continuing independent investigation into the scandal by U.S. law firm Jones Day International isn’t expected to be completed until late this year.

Last month VW settled federal and California claims in a $15.3 billion deal that covers 475,000 U.S. owners of vehicles powered by the company’s 4-cylinder diesels. The company continues to negotiate a settlement to cover 80,000 owners of U.S. vehicles equipped with V-6 diesels.

VW argues that environmental claims related to its cheater diesels are addressed by last month’s federal settlement. But that agreement does not preclude states from filing new lawsuits based on their own regulations.